The Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE-Africa) has raised a clarion call to the Kenyan government, emphasizing the imperative of ensuring uninterrupted education, particularly for marginalized groups.
Executive Director Martha Muhwezi underscored the profound impact of extreme weather events like flooding and heatwaves, which disproportionately affect girls and women.
"Millions of children see their education interrupted annually, with girls bearing the brunt of this disruption. These calamities don't just disrupt daily life; they strike hardest at the most vulnerable, especially girls and women," Muhwezi lamented,
Highlighting the lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, Muhwezi pointed out the dire consequences of prolonged school closures, including heightened rates of teenage pregnancies and gender-based violence.
Despite the recent reopening of schools after a two-week extension of the April holidays due to heavy rains, Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu revealed that approximately 2,155 schools would not reopen due to infrastructure damage caused by floods.
This announcement starkly echoes FAWE-Africa's concerns regarding the vulnerability of educational infrastructure to climate change-induced disasters. The organization urges proactive measures from the government to address these challenges and ensure that all children, especially girls, have access to uninterrupted education.
FAWE-Africa Urges Government Action for Education Continuity amidst Flood Disruptions